Thursday, October 27, 2011

EXODUS from CUBA


This videoconference will be presented by David Toledo, a man who was among those Cubans that came to the United States in one of the waves of the Exodus from Cuba. We feel that the videoconference with Dave Toledo’s personal experiences will make the immigration experience come alive and touch at many areas for your students in which reading about it often is obscure. David will share his experience as an 8-year old immigrant with his parents in 1967 when they immigrated to the United States from Cuba.  David will give a historical, a cultural and a political presentation that gives context to the Cuban exodus.  (REGISTER online for videoconferences:  http://www.vanderbilt.edu/virtualschool/registration.htm)

David’s parents had studied in universities in Nashville, TN before the revolution and returned to Cuba to begin their married lives in 1954.  The revolution came along in 1959 and they left Cuba 8 years later.  Having friends in the United States to sponsor them, they were able to leave Cuba, but they had to spend 4 months in Spain before coming to the United States by plane.  What was it like for an 8-year boy to suddenly arrive as an immigrant in the United States?

Many thousands and thousands of Cubans were not fortunate enough to arrive by plane.  These Cubans took to the dangerous waters of the Florida Straits in homemade boats and rafts in a desperate reach for freedom. Through this videoconference, your students can learn the kind of price, the high price, that Cuban  people paid trying to reach for freedom. How many people took to the dangerous, shark-infested waters,  since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959,  is not really known.

The flow of refugees has continued and the Cuban population that settled in America became that much more diverse. Still today, more than fifty years after the 1959 Cuban Revolution and takeover by Fidel Castro, Cubans are entering onto the shores of America. These Cubans have also come out of desperation. After many years living under the communist regime they need to find a place to live that is more economically and socially viable.

The United States government has tried to curb the exodus by instating a wet foot/dry foot policy, as anyone picked up by the Coast Guard is thus returned to Cuba and anyone who can make the dangerous trek without being caught is considered a new US citizen.  It is within this policy however, that "a loophole [has been created] that encourages unsafe and unregulated immigration leaving even fewer Cubans on their native island. As more and more Cubans leave the island in hope of a better life, there is question as to what will eventually become of Cuba, both while Castro is still in power and after he dies or is unlikely ousted.

New York City and Miami have seen the biggest changes as a result of exodus from Cuba. We will talk about the ways in which the exodus has affected the United States economy and the culture in these areas. What is the effect of the Cuban migration and transculturalism?  Join us for this videoconference as Cuban immigrant, David Toledo,  shares his story and students learn about the importance of the Cuban exodus both on the lives of individual Cuban-Americans, as well as the United States as a whole.


THURSDAY, November 3, 2011 - "EXODUS from CUBA"  in the Countries and Culturesseries
    Presenter,  David Toledo (immigrated with his family from Cuba),  a musician with over 40 years of musical experience

  TARGET AUDIENCE: Students in grades 5 - 12

  TIMETwo sessions: one at 9:00 AM CENTRAL TIME and one at 10:00 AM CENTRAL TIME

Complete LESSON PLANS are available on the Vanderbilt Virtual School website for every videoconference.  Just “click” on the title of each videoconference to go to the specific lesson plan. "EXODUS from CUBA"  in the Countries and Cultures series

REGISTER online for videoconferences:  http://www.vanderbilt.edu/virtualschool/registration.htm

Thanks for participating!
Patsy

Patsy Partin, M.Ed
Director, Virtual School
Vanderbilt University
2007 Terrace Place
Nashville, TN 37203

Heart of a Hall of Famer Series: Marv Levy


Our character education series Heart of a Hall of Famer continues with Class of 2001 enshrinee Marv Levy on Wednesday November 16 at 9:00 AM and again at 11:00 AM ET. Levy led the Buffalo Bills to an unprecedented four straight Super Bowls as head coach guided Buffalo to the playoffs eight times during his tenure as the team's head coach. Join us as he talks about the traits that made him one of the game's greatest coaches.

Spots are open for the live audience or if you can't make the trek to Canton, feel free to join us through videoconferencing for a "limited interactive" broadcast. The program is open to grades 7th-12th and is FREE of charge. For more information or if you are interested in registering, please contact our Education Department at EducationalPrograms@profootballhof.com.

The Digital Generation Comes of Age- David Pogue

Free to NORT2H Members

Our next Town Hall Speaker Series program will feature David Pogue.  Mr. Pogue is a technology writer, technology columnist and commentator. He is a personal technology columnist for the New York Times, an Emmy-winning tech correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, and weekly tech correspondent for CNBC. He has written or co-written seven books in the For Dummies series (including Macintosh computers, magicopera, and classical music); in 1999, he launched his own series of computer how-to books, called the Missing Manual series, which now includes over 100 titles covering a variety of personal computer operating systems and applications.

Join us on November 14th as David interacts with your students about their use of technology in the digital age.

Program: 
David Pogue


Topic: "The Digital Generation Comes of Age"


Date: Monday, November 14, 2011
Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m


Schools interested in participating in this educational opportunity should contact John
Ramicone at 216-916-6360 or john.ramicone@ideastream.org by November 10th.

A program fee of $75.00 will be charged to schools not in the NOTA or NORT2H member districts.

Please process a purchase order to WVIZ/PBS Distance Learning, c/o John Ramicone, 1375
Euclid Avenue, Cleveland 44115 and fax a copy or the p. o. number to 216-916-6361.

For additional information on David Pogue please see: http://www.davidpogue.com/





Sunday, October 23, 2011

Lest We Forget World War II - Pearl Harbor Day

Berrien RESA works with Lest We Forget Southwest Michigan to coordinate a series of interviews with local veterans. Each session features a panel of local veterans with a variety of experiences in each war. In this session, students will hear experiences from and interview veterans from World War II.


Program Format:
This program begins with an introduction of the veterans and participating schools.
Each veteran in the panel will discuss their memories of the war.
All schools involved will have a question and answer time with the panel of veterans.



Dates/Times 
Program DateProgram TimeNetwork TimeRegistration Deadline 
All times below are displayed in Eastern Standard Time, as specified in your profile.
12/7/201110:45 AM - 11:45 AM10:35 AM - 12:00 PM11/30/2011
12/7/201112:30 PM - 1:30 PM12:20 PM - 1:30 PM11/30/2011
12/7/20111:45 PM - 2:45 PM1:35 PM - 2:45 PM11/30/2011
Date/Time Notes This event is offered annually on/for Pearl Harbor Day.
Connection Type(s) Available and Program Fees

Request this Program Now
 Interactive Cost: $50.00

Monday, October 17, 2011

Gr. 6-12 Honoring Our Nation's Heroes: A Veteran's Day Tribute

What is it like to be in the military? What is it like to fight in combat and to return home from war? What does it mean to have served your nation in its armed forces? On this Veterans Day, as we remember those who have fought and died for our country’s freedoms, take your study of the history of America in war to the veterans who fought in them. Ask these questions and more as you interact with veterans from World War II, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and the current war in Iraq/Afghanistan.

Take a step back into history with those who lived and fought during these important moments in American life. What was the mood of the country as America entered the war after Pearl Harbor? What was it like to be on the battlefield in World War II and to be a prisoner of war? During the turbulent 1960’s as Americans wrestled with the war in Vietnam, why did a young man choose to enlist and fight so far from home? As America countered Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, how did one young Marine react to being on the front lines of that conflict? What was it like to live in a foxhole, search enemy foxholes for soldiers and weapons, and to fight in a field of landmines? And in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, what was it like to be a military policeman or to be tasked as part of the important support unit to promote troop morale?

Our focus in this program will not be exploring the historic details of a specific war or battle in that war, but it will be to provide students the rare and important opportunity to speak directly with those who have served our country in its armed forces and learn first hand what that means



The videoconference program will consist of the following segments.

1. Welcome and Introduction—Student groups and experts will be introduced and welcomed to the program.

2. Interaction with the Veterans—Students will hear directly from individuals who have fought in recent wars of American history and have the opportunity to ask each of them questions. Once you have enrolled for the program, we will send you the list of veterans joining us for your program. This list will include brief biographical information including the war they served in and how they served. Please use this information to help your students develop questions for the program.

3. Closing Segment--Including summary of topics discussed and final questions from students





Interactive Cost $0.00


http://goo.gl/qSpTe



Program DateProgram TimeNetwork TimeRegistration Deadline 
All times below are displayed in Eastern Standard Time, as specified in your profile.
11/11/201111:00 AM - 12:00 PM10:45 AM - 12:15 PM11/03/2011
11/11/20112:00 PM - 3:00 PM1:45 PM - 3:15 PM11/03/2011





Helen Headrick
utilization@hectv.org
3655 Olive St
St Louis, MO  63108
United States
Phone: (314) 531-4455

It's Good to be Green: Reduce, Reuse, and Recover


Got trash? Sure you do; we all do. Go green with us as we explore how our trash is recovered and recycled to be used again in new forms. We’ll also learn ways each of us can go greener and help reduce our impact on the environment by developing strategies that “reduce, reuse, and recover.”

Program Description:

What happens to that aluminum can, plastic bottle, office paper, or cardboard cereal box when you place it in the recycling bin? Where does it go? How is it sorted? What kind of impact are you really having on the environment when you decide to reduce, reuse and recover?  In commemoration of America Recycles Day on November 15, we’ll explore those questions and more as we see how our trash is recovered and recycled to be used again in new forms.  We’ll also learn ways each of us can go greener and help reduce our impact on the environment by developing strategies that “reduce, reuse, and recover.”

Meet experts from the Earthways Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden, experts from the Missouri Recycling Association, and students who are making a difference in their community with their recycling projects. Ask your questions about going greener and steps you can take to make a difference in your community.

PLEASE NOTE: We are interested in featuring one or two student-led recycling efforts with our audience for each program. If your school has an initiative you’d like to share about during the program, please let us know in your enrollment request and we will contact you to learn more about it.

Program Objectives:
1.  The participant will gain a greater understanding about the nature of our ecosystem and of the role environmental awareness and action takes in maintaining that ecosystem.

2. The participant will interact with experts involved in recycling and other environmental industries.

3.  The participant will gain a greater understanding of his or her individual impact on the environment and learn how to utilize “green”
strategies to better balance that impact with his or her life needs and choices.


Program Format:
The videoconference program will consist of the following segments. 
Student questions and comments will be woven into all segments of the program.

1.  Welcome and Introduction—Student groups and experts will be introduced and welcomed to the program.

2.  The Big Picture—We’ll look at general information about the amount of trash individual Americans and the country as a whole produce each year, and the toll this takes on our environment. As part of their preparation for the program, students should take part in the “Waste Audit” activity that is included in the pre-program activity materials for this show. As you read over the activity you will notice that teachers may determine if they wish to have students do this activity with their home trash, their classroom trash or both.  Please follow the guidelines for the activity you choose and send us your results via e-mail to live@hectv.org no later than October 31, 2011.  Please also let us know in that e-mail the name of the student and/or students who will present their individual or class results during this section of the program. We will then call on them by name during this section of the program to share their information.

3.  What Happens to Your Trash?—In this segment we’ll follow the trail of some trash from the point where it gets tossed in the trash can through its placement in a larger dumpster to being picked up by the waste company and then sent on to the recycling location or dump location. We’ll also talk about the wide variety of items that can be recycled and look at examples of that in practice. Students will have the chance to ask questions and also share their experiences with recycling themselves.

4.  What You Can Do—In this segment we’ll look at ways people can recycle even more including how to participate in “America Recycles Day”
on November 15, and also see examples of programs in practice in communities where our student audiences are located.  Composting and other reduce, reuse, recover methods will be discussed.  As mentioned in the “Please Note” section of our program description, if your school has a project you’d like to share with our audience, let us know about it in your enrollment request and we’ll contact you to find out more about it.

5.  Summary and Closing—We’ll summarize the major concepts learned today and seek final questions from students.

Featured National Standards: (Science)
Unifying Concepts and Processes - Unifying concepts and processes help students think about and integrate a range of basic ideas which builds an understanding of the natural world
1.    Systems, order, and organization
2.    Evidence, models, and explanation

Science as Inquiry - Science as inquiry requires students to combine processes and scientific knowledge with scientific reasoning and critical thinking to develop their understanding of science.
1.    Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
2.    Understandings about scientific inquiry

Science and Technology - An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
1.    Abilities of technological design

Featured State Standards (Missouri):
Schools from across the country are invited to join in the program. 
Missouri state standards are provided for Missouri schools since funding for this program comes from various Missouri organizations.

Missouri Grade Level Expectations

Strand 7: Scientific Inquiry
Science understanding is developed through the use of science process skills, scientific knowledge, scientific investigation, reasoning, and critical thinking

Participant Preparation:
1.  Participants should come to the program with an interest in science, recycling, the environment, and/or related topics.

2.  Participants should utilize preparatory materials provided for the program and other resources of their own to better understand the context of the program’s subject and to think in advance of questions they wish to ask the experts.

3.  Based on pre-program activity number 1, teachers should send their group’s “waste audit” results via e-mail to live@hectv.org no later than October 31, 2011.  Please also let us know in that e-mail the name of the student and/or students who will present their individual or class results during this section of the program. We will then call on them by name during this section of the program to share their information.

4.  Based on pre-program activity number 2, teachers should send us via e-mail to live@hectv.org their group’s three to five most burning questions they definitely want to ask the experts during the program. 
This information should be sent no later than the end of the school day Monday, October 31, 2011.

5.  Participants should have pencil and paper ready to use during the program to jot down ideas and additional questions as they come to mind.

Pre-Program Activity Suggestions:

1.  To gain a better understanding of how much trash they produce, have your students do a Waste Audit either at home, in the classroom, or both. Utilize the instructions provided in the handout entitled “Waste Audit Instructions” that accompanies these materials. As you read over the activity you will notice that teachers may determine if they wish to have students do this activity with their home trash, their classroom trash or both.  Please follow the guidelines for the activity you choose and send us your results via e-mail to live@hectv.org no later than October 31, 2011.  Please also let us know in that e-mail the name of the student and/or students who will present their individual or class results during the appropriate section of the program. We will then call on them by name during this section of the program to share their information.

2.   Help facilitate the most effective discussion possible during the
program by e-mailing us three to five “burning questions” your students have developed in advance to ask our guests during the program.  Have students develop these questions by investigating the websites included in the “Supplemental Resources” section of these materials.  Questions could be about the organizations themselves and the work they do, or questions inspired by what students found intriguing while they perused the sites. We will use these advance questions to help organize the discussion and focus student learning on these areas of interest. 
Please send these questions to us via e-mail at live@hectv.org no later than Monday, October 31, 2011.  We will go through all questions received to eliminate overlap and organize them into the program, and then e-mail you back with the questions from you group that will definitely be included in the program.  Please also include the name of the student who will be asking the question so we can call on that child by name during the program.

Post-Program Activity Suggestions:

1.  Have each student journal on what they have learned about trash, recycling, the environment, actions they could take, etc. that they did not know before the program.  What did they find most interesting, frustrating, unique, etc. about the topic they choose to write on?  Have them share their journal entries with a partner or with the teacher.

2.  Numerous follow-up activities related to recycling and environmental awareness are provided at the websites included in the “Supplemental Resources” section of these materials. Please peruse these sites to determine which activities are most appropriate for your students.

Program Keywords:

Environment, recycle, recycling, ecology, pollution, littering, trash, waste management

Vocabulary Words and Definitions:

Related vocabulary is included in the websites listed in the “Supplemental Resources” section of these materials.

Supplemental Resources:

This is the EPA’s website which has a wide variety of curriculum and educational materials related to the topic of our program. Resources and materials are broken into three grade levels: K-5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 12.

Find out more about America Recycles Day and see activities that you and your students can do to participate in the national event.

Guests for our program will include a representative from the Missouri Recycling Association. Find out more about the organization and view their educational materials at their website. See how your students can participate in the Recycle Bowl.

Another of our guests will come from the Earthways Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Find out about that organization and view their educational materials at their website.

This website of the Green Education Foundation provides a wealth of curriculum resources. The “Waste Audit” pre-program activity is modified from one on their website.

Cancellation Policy:

Since there may well be a waiting list for interactive participation, we ask that you let us know of your need to cancel as soon as you know.

Technology Specifications:

This program will be bridged through our state bridging agency, MOREnet.  When you register for the program, please include the IP address of the VC unit you’ll be using to connect to the MOREnet bridge when participating in the program. This information is needed to send to MOREnet to arrange your test call with them prior to the program.  As part of the confirmation you’ll receive after we get your registration and IP information, we’ll send you the details for the test call with MOREnet. A validation test call MUST be made no less than one week before the program's air date.

Tim Gore
Interactive Coordinator
314-531.4455

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Gr 2-5 Introduce students to brass, string, woodwind & percussion instruments

Connect2Texas introduces NEW provider the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra offers interactive performances by various ensembles featuring different instruments in the orchestra. Teachers can choose from brass, string, woodwind, or percussion ensembles. Each ensemble is comprised of world-famous musicians who introduce their instruments to the class, perform an engaging variety of repertoire, and interact directly with students.


pertoire in contrasting styles is performed as individual brass instruments are discussed and demonstrated.


Title: Symphony YES! Woodwind Quintet
Target Audience: Grades 2-4
Cost: $125
Date: Friday, November 11
Times: 9:00-9:40 or 9:45-10:25 CST
Description: Five members from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra provide students with an interactive introduction to woodwind instruments. A wide range of repertoire in contrasting styles is performed as individual instruments are discussed and demonstrated.


Title: Symphony YES! String Quintet
Target Audience: Grades 4-5
Cost: $125
Date: Friday, December 9
Times: 9:30-10:15 or 10:30-11:15 CST
Description: Five members from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra provide students with an interactive introduction to the versatile string instruments. A wide range of repertoire in contrasting styles is performed as individual string instruments are discussed and demonstrated.

Materials: Music Fun Facts available at http://www.connect2texas.net/dallas_symphony_orchestra/.
To find out more about Connect2Texas providers offering content enhancement and professional development programs visitwww.Connect2Texas.net.

Lori Hamm-NeckarDistance Learning Technician
Region Eleven Telecommunications Network (RETN)
O: (817) 740-7516 | C: (817) 291-3748 | lhamm@esc11.net

Education Service Center Region XI
3001 North Freeway | Fort Worth Texas 76106